Plaque 1796

Editor: Here we have a plaque crafted in 1796 by James Tassie, currently housed at the Met. It appears to be a profile portrait, possibly made of marble or a similar material, encased in wood. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: Looking at Tassie's plaque through a materialist lens draws our attention to the production process itself. Consider the material choices: the selection and carving of the marble-like substance for the portrait against what appears to be a tinted glass backing, then framed with wood. What does the use of readily accessible materials say about its intended audience? Editor: That's interesting. It almost seems like a more democratic form of portraiture, not limited to painting for the elite. Curator: Precisely. Tassie was quite prolific in reproducing these portraits and sculptural reliefs, thus enabling broader access to representations of important figures and artistic styles influenced by neoclassicism. It reflects the social dynamics of the period. Can you see how it diverges from something commissioned by the sitter? Editor: I guess commissioning would imply the agency of the individual, while the mass-produced plaques have less to do with individual status. They are connected to distribution and production on a much wider scale. Curator: Exactly. These weren't just aesthetic objects, they were commodities within a growing market of art consumption. We must ask: what are the social implications of producing images for consumption? It shifts our understanding from simple admiration towards investigation. Editor: That makes me see it in a totally new way. Thank you for pointing out the material and its socioeconomic context! Curator: It is important to look beyond the aesthetic value to discover the processes and social conditions through which art emerges.